Updated: Propane leak likely cause of Moultonborough home explosion

This photo from the Moultonborough Fire Department shows the home on Red Hill that was leveled early Wednesday morning. A propane gas leak likely caused an early morning explosion and fire that destroyed the vacation home. (COURTESY)

MOULTONBOROUGH — A propane leak is the likely cause of an explosion and fire that leveled a newly built summer home atop Red Hill early Wednesday morning.

When firefighters arrived, they found the home - a two-story, 1,500-square-foot, wood-frame building with a garage built under - leveled.

With assistance from the police department, responders soon located the homeowners in Massachusetts, and they confirmed there was no one in the house at the time of the blast.

"When we got to the scene, we found the house had been completely destroyed. Piles of debris were burning," said Bengtson. Fire department personnel had been to the home in the past to investigate a possible fireworks-related or outside fire incident.

According to town tax records, the home is valued at $352,000. The building and the snow plow truck parked in the garage are a total loss.

A member of the State Fire Marshal's investigative team visited the fire scene Wednesday.

A section of Route 4 was shut down Wednesday afternoon after a three-vehicle accident occurred, killing one motorist, according to police officials.

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